Coming into Balance: How Stress and Relaxation Work Together

by Baxter and Nina

Mirror Image by Melina Meza

So, you’re lying on a beautiful beach somewhere, feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin and listening to the sound of waves lapping at the shore, and you’re feeling totally comfortable and very relaxed. So what is happening to you? Is this the relaxation response? The rest and digest state? Conscious relaxation? Or what?

Another time you’re sitting alone in your house, meditating on your breath. Your knee hurts a bit. Your thoughts seem wild, and you feel fidgety and restless. But you keep coming back to your breath, and after several minutes your mind begins to settle and quiet. What’s happening to you now? And how is this different than being on the beach?

Or, let’s say one night you’re driving your car down a dark, winding road through a forest when suddenly a deer bolts into the road. Your heart begins to pound and your breath speeds up as you quickly try to take evasive action. Is this the stress response? The Fight or Flight response? On another night, you’re meeting someone you’ve just started dating. When you spot them on the street coming toward you, your heart begins to pound and your breath speeds up. It feels kind of like stress, but in a good way—you know, exciting. What’s going on there?

As we have been delving into the topics of stress and relaxation, we’ve found there’s some confusing terminology out there in the literature and even here on our own blog! So it seems like a good idea to try and define once and for all some of terms that have been most commonly bantered about. To start, let’s take a look at the following terms to get clearer on what they mean:

1. Stress Response
2. Fight or Flight State
3. Relaxation Response
4. Rest and Digest State
5. Conscious Relaxation

Stress Response. This term describes the response of your mind and body response of your mind and body when you are faced with a challenge. Sometimes the response is to a real or perceived threat, ranging from serious life or death situations to stressful situations like doing your taxes or getting lost. Other times the response is to a positive challenge, such as running a race, falling in love, brainstorming ideas, or creating a work of art. The stress response increases the activity of your sympathetic nervous system, speeding up your heart and breath rates, and dilating your pupils to get you ready for action. When the stress response is at its extreme, you shift into the Flight or Fight State.

Fight or Flight State. This term describes the state of your nervous system when your sympathetic system is fully operational, and generally you actually are in danger, threatened, or think you are in danger. For example, if you are about to get into a car accident, your nervous system sends quick signals to your adrenal glands to release adrenalin, unleashing a rapid physical response evolved to get you to safety. (See below for details.) 

Relaxation Response. This term describes the response of your mind and body to safe circumstances or a secure environment, causing your heart and breath rate to slow, your blood pressure to drop, your energy usage to slow and your digestion and immune systems to turn on. In our above example, if you successfully avoided the car crash, once you got home and had some time to decompress, your system would slowly shift to the relaxation response. The relaxation response increases the activity of your parasympathetic nervous system, and enters you into the Rest and Digest state. 

You can trigger the relaxation response through conscious relaxation techniques or just by ordinary resting and relaxing while you are awake, such as by listening to calming music on your couch or by lying on a beach feeling the sun on your skin and listening to the waves. (This is in contrast to activities that are distracting rather than relaxing. For example, while TV distracts us from our real-life concerns, it is not actually relaxing your nervous system because the action you’re watching is typically very stimulating—as anyone who tries to go to bed after a scary movie or violent show soon realizes.)

Rest and Digest State. This term describes the state of your nervous system when your parasympathetic system is fully operational, you are mentally and physically relaxed, your body’s vital signs are in their calm state, and the immune, repair, and digestive systems are up and operating. You enter this state naturally when relaxing at home or out in nature, or when you use conscious relaxation to trigger the relaxation response.

Conscious Relaxation. This term describes any technique that triggers the relaxation response, including meditation, breath practices that are calming, guided relaxation practices, and even gentle and restorative yoga asana practiced mindfully. Keep in mind that this describes an active practice technique with a desired goal. But the awesome thing about conscious relaxation is that you can use it anytime and anywhere. You don’t need to fly to Hawaii. And although a quiet peaceful environment is helpful, you can even meditate or do breath practices in challenging environments. (See 6 Ways to Bust Stress with Yoga).

The Healthy Balance of Stress and Relaxation

So let’s say you’re sitting outside in the garden talking with a friend, and you’re feeling very comfortable and relaxed. Then your friend tells you about an interesting idea he has, and you suddenly perk up a bit. You then pitch in with an idea of your own, and that leads to very animated discussion. What’s happening here? Are you relaxed or stressed? Or, is it possible that you are both at the same?

Ding, ding, ding! Yes, it’s both at the same time. As we described in Chapter x, your autonomic nervous system, which controls background processes that keep your body alive and healthy, such breathing, maintaining normal temperature, and adjusting blood pressure to match activity, is divided into two subsystems: your sympathetic nervous system and your parasympathetic nervous system. And these two subsystems work together in tandem, providing you with a healthy balance of activity and relaxation. 

Sympathetic Nervous System. This system stimulates you when you need to be active. The activity can be as basic as getting out of bed in the morning, writing an email, or practicing gentle yoga poses, something more challenging such as running a race or giving a public talk, or something really drastic such as trying to avoid a car accident. 

Your sympathetic nervous system prepares your body and mind for action by stimulating your heart to beat faster and stronger and slightly raising your blood pressure to improve blood flow, by opening your airways so you can breathe more easily, and by stimulating your thought processes so you can assess your situation and think more quickly.

In extreme situations—where serious action on your part is needed—your sympathetic nervous system triggers the Fight or Flight response, as described above. In this state, your sympathetic nervous system actually turns off the background functions of nourishment, restoration, and healing that are provided by the parasympathetic nervous system because these functions will slow you down. Being in the Fight or Flight state is normal and healthy as long as it doesn’t happen too frequently or continue for a long period of time, when it becomes chronic stress (see see About Stress: Acute Versus Chronic).

Parasympathetic Nervous System. This system is responsible for nourishing, restoring, and healing your body and mind. As you move through your day, whether you are totally relaxed, slightly active, or even very active, your parasympathetic nervous system stimulates digestion, activates various metabolic processes, and keeps your immune system turned on. (These functions will only be turned off temporarily when you’re in a Fight or Flight state.)

When you are physically still and your mind is quiet, your parasympathetic system functions optimally, allowing you to enter the Rest and Digest state. Being in the Rest and Digest state is normal and very desirable, as it gives your body and mind time to relax completely and recover from stressful periods. There’s probably no downside to spending a lot of time in this state, except you probably wouldn’t get very much done!

On an average good day, when you’re feeling rested and cheerful, and are involved in normal work and social activities, your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems work together to keep you in balance, allowing you to be both fully functional and stay healthy. A well-balanced yoga practice, including both physical exercise and stress management practices, will help you maintain this balance when there are minor challenges in your life. It is only when you spend too much time with an overactive sympathetic nervous system due to ongoing stressful life circumstances that you can become out of balance. At this point, it’s very important to take steps to reduce your chronic stress and bring yourself back into balance again, as chronic stress is harmful to your physical, emotional, and mental health (see About Stress: Acute Versus Chronic). And conscious relaxation with yoga is the way!

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How To Build Muscle Fast - 3 Simple steps

Learning how to build muscle fast does not have to be difficult. It really isn't rocket science people! Unfortunately for many beginners this isn't the case. No matter what they seem to do, they can't build muscle. Does this sound familiar?

If your efforts to build muscle are going unrewarded, there is a reason. A complete evaluation of your muscle building program may be in order. It is now your job to
determine which of the three steps to building muscle are missing.

Even if just one of the three steps to building muscle is missing, failure is imminnent.

Build Muscle Fast Tip #1 - Eat The Right Foods

Eating the right foods will help supply your body with the energy it needs during your resistance training workouts. The right foods are also crucial in the recovery process. Your body actually uses the food you eat to build your muscles while you sleep. Eating the right foods is a key to building muscle fast.

Build Muscle Fast Tip #2 - Weight Train
Weight training does not actually build muscle. It breaks down your muscle! However, this breakdown of muscle tissue is what triggers the body to repair its self. It then goes a step further and builds more muscle that was previously there. This leads to increased muscle size.

Build Muscle Fast Tip #3 - Rest and Recover

Adequate rest and recovery is one of the most overlooked, yet most important factors to building muscle fast. In order to build muscle your body needs not only adequate rest in between workouts, but also a full nights sleep every night.

During rest and recovery is when the body actually repairs and builds muscle tissue. If you do not allow your body enough rest and recovery time, building muscle may be next to impossible. You will begin to feel symptoms of over training, and will be more prone to injuries.

Remember that in order to build muscle fast, you must rest your body!In Conclusion, building muscle fast is a realistic goal if approached correctly. With the right combination of eating, weight training, and recovery, extraordinary results are a realistic possibility.

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5 Muscle Mass Mistakes to be Avoided

Building muscle mass is the number one goal of almost every guy in fitness. And yet most of them never build muscle the way they want, especially not enough of it!

Here are a few weight training tips for building muscle so you can start adding massive pounds of muscle to your body.

If you can avoid these common mistakes, you’ll go a long way toward building more muscle.

Muscle Mass Mistake 1: Not working legs

This could be the biggest mass building mistake that bodybuilders make when starting out. They avoid heavy barbell squats.Barbell squats, done correctly, and done intensely, are the single biggest muscle mass building exercise you can do. And yet how many people do you see at your gym doing heavy barbell squats?

Mass Mistake 2: Not training intensely enough

If you want to build muscle you have to train with intensity. Stop substituting more volume (more exercises, more sets, more reps) with real all out intensity.

Mass Mistake 3: Routine hopping

Stop seeking out the one magic routine that will instantly add 50 pounds of muscle to your body. Get a solid grasp of the fundamentals of weight training, put together a quality routine, and stick with it long enough to see results. Sure, if you haven’t gained any muscle in 8 months, you’ll probably want to change something. But don’t randomly change your routine every two weeks. Give a good weight lifting routine time to work and you’ll see more muscle gains.

Mass Mistake 4: Neglecting Nutrition

Weight training is the stimulus for your body to add muscle mass but it needs to have the tools to do so. Those tools are enough quality calories. In your quest for more muscle mass don’t forget the role that nutrition plays in muscle building: frequent feedings, quality calories, lots of protein, no junk food, vitamins, minerals, good fats, and lots of water.

Mass Mistake 5: Use Anabolic Steroids Smartly

Smart use of anabolic steroids can speed-up gaining your muscle. You can easily make a progress of one year in just a few weeks. However don’t forget to use steroids according to instructions

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8 Simple Guides to Nutrition

Below are simple but very important nutritional principals for muscle building. You need to follow a balanced nutritional plan together with muscle building workouts to ensure optimum results. When you are following your workout routines, your body would need enough “fuel” to keep going. These principals would ensure that you will have adequate amount of nutrition that your body needs to gain the maximum benefits from your workout routines.

Principle 1: Fill your stomach every 3 hours per day

Gosh! This could lead to obesity! This is the first impression people would have. Now, let me clear the air of misconceptions. Eating every 2.5-3 hours would make you fat, yes!, if you don’t exercise! But if you are on a quest to build your muscles, your body would require a lot of carb and protein. Being on a 3 meal a-day plan would require a massive intake of carb and protein, and since there is a limit to how much your body can store calories per meal, the others will turn to unwanted fat around your body. So the best way to supplement the adequate amount of the nutrition that your body need is to have frequent wholesome meals.

You should start with your first meal 15-30 minutes after you got up and continue taking meals at every 3 hours gap. Make sure that you take decent size meals so that your body could absorb the optimum calories while preventing unwanted body fat.

Principle 2: Take different kinds of food

Just to give your body a variety of nutrition (and also to do some favor to your taste buds!), you should be eating different kinds of foods. While it is easier to go for a routine meal plan, a variety of food intake would help you to balance out your diet. You might be taking too much carb on your routine meal plan, so by switching to a different food which contains more protein, your calorie intake would be balanced out.

If you only stick to your routine meal plan, soon you would become sick of the food and you would not indulge in it. You would be eating just for the sake of eating without even enjoying it. Chances are that you might even skip a meal as you are too tired of it. This would be detrimental to you muscle building plan.

Principle 3: Ensure adequate intake of Calories

While you are on a muscle building quest, your body needs enough calories to keep going. Depriving your body of the calories that it needs would hamper the growth of muscles. You will not be able to see the desired results although you workout frequently. Calories are the main ingredient for muscle growth so you must make sure that your get enough calories to build your muscles.

Make sure the food take you take contains enough calories that you are going to burn later in the gym.

Principle 4: Ensure at least 50 grams of Protein contents for each meal

Protein should at least make up 35% of your caloric intake. If your body is not getting enough amino acids that it needs, it would take from your muscle tissues. Hence, it will hamper your muscle growth. Make sure you take at least 50 grams of protein content for each meal to build your muscle mass and keep your fat levels low.

It is good to eat lean meats such as chicken, beef or turkey. Casein and whey are good as supplemental shakes. Also, have an adequate intake of Omega 3 (linolenic acid) and Omega 6 (linoleic acid). You can also eat cheese, yogurt and partly skimmed cheese.

Principle 5: Ensure at least 60 grams of Carb contents for each meal

Carb is needed by your body for muscle building process and shortage of which, your muscle would not grow to the level you expect.

Your intake of carb may consist of simple carb or complex carb. Simple carb can be derived from sugar. But complex carb is highly recommended because it releases energy slowly and more long lasting that would be crucial for your workouts. If you ensure adequate intake of complex carb, it would rarely turn into fat.

Go for complex carbs such as barley, beans, cornmeal, potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal  and whole grains.

Principle 6: Ensure at least 20 grams of Fat contents for each meal.

A well balanced diet should contain approximately 30% of fat. But the fat intake must be balanced out between saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.

Saturated fat are found in dairy products (especially cream and cheese but also butter and ghee), animal fats such as suet, tallow, lard and fatty meat, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil, chocolate, and some prepared foods. Monounsaturated fats are found in natural foods such as nuts and avocados, and are the main component of tea seed oil and olive oil (oleic acid). Poly unsaturated fat are found in fish, cereal, whole grain, wheat, peanut butter, margarine, bananas, sunflower seeds and hemp seed.

The fat to avoid at all cost is trans fatty acids. It is formed when vegetables oils are hardened into margarine or shortening. It can be found in foods like french fries, fried chicken, pastries, crackers and doughnuts. These can lead to clogged arteries.

Principle 7: Ensure vegetables intake for each meal

Vegetables are good for their high antioxidant profile that would reduce the free radical (which leads to Rancidification) from your workouts and accelerate the healing of damaged cells. Vegetable and fruits which are high in alkaline are needed to balance out the high levels of acid loads in the blood caused by protein and grains.

So make sure that you have vegetables included for each meal, at least 1-2 cup serving per meal.

Principle 8: Ensure the ratio between whole food and liquid meals is 60:40

Solid food would ensure more vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and fibers to your body. They are loaded with digestive enzymes and help the absorption of food. Liquid food like shakes would save you from cooking but they should make up only 2 out of your 4 meals a day and not more than 3 shakes a day.

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How to Lose Weight Effectively, in Half The Time?

Most people who hit the gym have a primary objective, that is to lose weight. It is actually a good practice to lose weight through the natural way, and not by taking some weight loss pills and sleeping your way through. But most people would like to lose weight in a short time, they don’t prefer to work on the treadmill 2 hours per day for a whole year just to lose a few kilos. So they turn to pills for a quick fix. But if you know the right way to do it, you can lose weight naturally and fairly quickly by following the right dieting and workout routines. Here are some tips to do it the natural way.

Your Intake of Calories

Firstly, you must make sure that your calorie intake is not too much for the body to burn. If you are gaining weight with the current calorie intake, you have to cut the calories moderately and gradually. Do not cut your calorie intake drastically because chances are that it will turn off your metabolism and eventually stall your weight loss. Also, you might not be able to keep up with your sudden drastic change in the diet.

Practical Meal Plan

If your current eating pattern does not help in losing weight, you will have to do gradual tuning to shed off the intake of food that keeps up your weight. This is what I call as “the Practical Meal Plan”. It should not be too drastic a change for you to follow. There is no point in working out a fantastic 180 degrees turnaround plan which you will only be able to follow for 2 days. Hence, keep in mind that this must be a gradual but continuous process until you see the results. After all, Rome was not built in a day!

Adequate Exercise

Although exercise helps you to lose weight, over doing it by expecting that you would lose weight sooner can be detrimental instead. Doing adequate exercise with proper dieting would give the results rather than trying to overdo exercises while keeping you old eating habits. Do not exert yourself by doing too much cardio, as it would toil different parts of your body.

Have Healthy Food Around You

The final thing you must remember is to keep temptations out of the way by throwing away all the junk foods that you used to store up in your kitchen cabinet. That would make life easier and help to keep up your resolution rather than having the junk food around which reminds you that you are depriving yourself of the things you used to indulge in. After all, why would you want to have a hard time when you can do it the easy way?

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How to Build The Perfect Pectorals!

Eye-popping pectorals are definitely any men’s dream! While you may think that only blessed some are gifted with it, it’s not really true.

The secret is RESISTANCE EXERCISES!! By rigorously following the complete chest building program presented below, you too can own that enviable pectorals!

Work this routine at least 3 times a week for optimum results.

Bench Press Techniques

i) Medium Grip

Step 1: Lie on a flat bench while grasping a barbell with a medium grip just above the chest. Make sure you choose the right weight that you are comfortable with.

Step 2: Press the bar up to arms’ length.

Step 3: Pause, and lower the bar to the starting position. Repeat the process.

ii) Wide Grip

Step 1: Lie on a flat bench while grasping a barbell with a wide grip just above the chest.

Step 2: Proceed to press the bar up to arms’ length.

Step 3: Pause, and lower the bar to the starting position. Repeat the process.

Barbell Pullover Technique

Step 1: Lie on a flat bench while grasping a barbell with a medium grip at arms’ length above the chest.

Step 2: Proceed to lower the bar behind you in a semicircular manner until behind the head.

Step 3: Pause, then return to starting position.

Flat Bench Press Technique

Step 1: Lie on a flat bench while grasping dumbbells palms out by shoulders.

Step 2: Proceed to press the weights up to arms’ length.

Step 3: Pause, then return to starting position.

Dips Technique

Step 1: Hold yourself erect at a dip station, with arms straight.

Step 2: Proceed to lower until arms are bent at 90 degrees.

Step 3: Pause, then return to starting position.

Dumbbell Pullover Technique

Step 1: Lie on a flat bench while grasping a dumbbell with both hands at arms’ length above the chest.

Step 2: Proceed to lower the weight behind you in a semicircular manner until behind the head.

Step 3: Pause, then return to starting position.

Decline Bench Press Technique

Step 1: Lie on a decline bench grasping dumbbells palms out by shoulders.

Step 2: Proceed to press the weights up to arms’ length.

Step 3: Pause, then return to starting position.

Incline Bench Press Technique

Step 1: Lie on an incline bench grasping dumbbells palms out by shoulders.

Step 2: Proceed to press the weights up to arms’ length.

Step 3: Pause, then return to starting position.

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8 Top Tips to Select the Right Gym

One of the most important factors which will either support or destroy your muscle building dream is the GYM. Hence, it is very important that give more priority in choosing the gym that you want to go to. If you don’t choose your gym carefully, you might have to change gym later and start again to get used to your new gym, which would be very troublesome for you, let alone dampen your spirit.

Here, I am going to focus on 8 important factors that would guide you when it comes to choosing your right gym.

1. Choose the gym which is closer to your home

As you need to workout 3-4 times a week. a gym nearer to your house would be the most convenient to go  after your long work on weekdays. You wouldn’t want to spend 2 hours beating the traffic in the opposite direction and traveling back home after gym. If your gym is to the left and your home to the right at the junction, trust me, it would seem easier to turn right than left. So, to keep the sense of guilt out of the way, get a gym that is closer to home, or on the way back home.

2. Do a background check on Membership Cost 

Do a background check on membership cost before you sign up for one. It is good to pay a visit to the gym to see if the facilities are worth the money you pay. Gym membership typically requires you to sign a contract somewhere between 1 year, 2 years or more. Make sure that you are comfortable with the duration and that you will be maximizing the facilities.

3. Gender of Members

Well, if you are not really particular about all-guys or all-ladies gym, then you wouldn’t have to worry about this. Just make sure you will be comfortable with your fellow gym-mates who you will be meeting quite frequently.

4. Usage Ratio

This might be a critical issue that you have to ensure the gym provides enough equipment for the number of members that it caters for. After all, you wouldn’t want to wait 45 minutes each time to get on a treadmill. Also, a crowded sauna after the workout would be a nightmare.

5. Opening Hours

You have to plan carefully the most convenient time to visit the gym and make sure that the gym is open at that time. If you prefer to go early in the morning before you get to the office, make sure that the gym opens early in the morning. There is no point subscribing to the gym if you can’t make it during the gym operating hours.

6. Personal Trainer

Most gyms give you the option to engage an in-house personal trainer. But it is important for you to check if the trainer is really certified as you wouldn’t want to pay someone and get the same results that you have gotten by training on your own.  Ensure that the trainer has enough experience and has trained many students previously.

7. Gym Hygiene

Make sure that the gym has a high level of hygiene because you will be coming in contact with the equipment often. The last place you want to be is in a sloppy sauna after a long workout! Also, make sure they provide enough towels for the users.

8. Condition of Equipment

Make sure that the equipment are well maintained and they are functioning. You wouldn’t want to go to a gym with 5 treadmills and 3 of them are out-of-order. While most gyms ensure that the equipment are in order to retain the members, you would want to double check just to make sure the management is doing their job, after all you are paying for it!

Make sure you get a right start as you will be going on a journey! Good luck!

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11 Easy Ways To Look Like A Fitness Model

How many times have you passed the magazine rack at your local grocery store and seen those super strong sexy women bouncing off the pages of Oxygen, Self, Women's Health, and Fitness Rx Magazines? I know I get pulled into their trance and usually end up buying a few of those magazines to find out the dark secrets that allow these women to get the look that every real life woman dreams about. Here are a few secrets I found out that I have begun to implement into my own lifestyle and have seen amazing changes.

1) Believe in yourself that you can do anything and be anything you set your mind to.

2) Be Beautiful from the inside out. Conduct yourself with poise and have self confidence.

3) Exercise. Get moving by doing a blend of weight training (yes weight training, you will not get big and bulky like you think) and cardio. Weight training gives you that sleek sexy muscle and cardio burns the ugly fat. Combining the two while jolt your metabolism and help you burn calories all day long.

4) Eat. You must eat good nutritious food, and eat them often. Eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism up and your body burning fat. Eat for energy and fuel your body for your workouts. No junk. Good nutritious healthy clean food will do the trick.

5) Tan. Your body looks leaner and more toned with a darker skin color. Of course my idol and famous fitness model Jennifer Nicole Lee tells us to "fake it don't bake it." The sun and tanning beds age your skin so opt for the tan in a can.

6) Whiten your teeth. A killer smile can brighten up a room and show off just how beautiful you are. A smile show cases your personality and can make you approachable.
Don't all the women on those infamous magazine covers have a bright white smile?

7) Eliminate stretch marks and cellulite. This can be done with over the counter creams or more expensive procedures at your local medi-spa.

8) Care for your skin. Ditch that old bar of soap and start a beauty ritual that includes and quality cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. Occasionally add in exfoliating and facials.

9) Healthy Hair. Having lustrous shining hair exhibit's a healthy lifestyle. This is achieved by choosing the right hair care products and having a good balanced diet that is rich in healthy oils. Also, choose a hairstyle the accentuates your facial features and make you stand out from the rest.

10) Make up. Don't think everyday is Halloween. Keep it natural and beautiful. Think of a flawless complexion, rosy cheeks, long lashes, and shiny lips.

11) Get your beauty sleep. This one we've heard our whole life. Getting good quality sleep helps you look and feel well rested, allows your body to recover from your workout, and lets you have the energy to tackle your day like a super fitness woman.

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Circadian Rhythms, Jet Lag, and Yoga

by Ram

Pollard Willows and Setting Sun by Vincent van Gogh

The Ayurvedic scholars and yoga gurus certainly knew about circadian rhythms. Termed as dinacharya (day routines), ratricharya (nightly routines) and ritucharya (seasonal routines), traditional observances were encouraged in order to maintain the synchronicity of circadian rhythms with time of the day/night and seasonal fluctuations. These practices allowed an individual to tune the circadian rhythm and coordinate it with the earth’s movement (rotation and revolution). The masters were aware that if circadian rhythms went out of sync, disease and imbalances developed. And this is now understood by scientists and health experts who recognize that disharmony in the circadian rhythm contributes to physical, mental, and behavioral problems, including but not limited to mood disorders, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and neurodegeneration. Conversely, if we are able to align our circadian rhythm, we can maximize our health span, mental alertness, immunity, awareness, and physical strength. 

A circadian rhythm is any biological process—physical, mental, or behavioral—that follows a roughly 24-hour cycle, and is modulated primarily by sunlight, darkness, and temperature. Circadian rhythms have been widely observed in humans, animals, plants, and tiny microbes, and primarily influence the sleep-wake cycles, feeding, hormone release, body temperature, and other important bodily functions. Present in all living beings are biological clocks throughout the body that regulate and coordinate our circadian rhythms. Furthermore, there is a "master clock" in the brain that controls all the biological clocks and consequently the circadian rhythms.

This master clock (aka the suprachiasmatic nucleus or SCN) is a group of ~20,000 nerve cells in the hypothalamus area of the brain that coordinates all the body clocks and downstream physiological processes. There are certain circadian rhythms in our body that are optimally active during the day and subside when the sun sets. Similarly, there are other circadian rhythms in our body (for example, sleep) that are optimally active during the night and ebb when the sun rises. These biological rhythms represent the optimum performance of different organs at certain times and their relaxation at other times. The circadian rhythms can be easily disrupted by several factors, including but not limited to time zone difference, environmental stress, emotions, and diet. 

Now that we have some idea of circadian rhythms, it is easy to imagine all those situations where the circadian rhythm can go awry. Specifically, long-distance travelers, pilots, and night shift workers among others will often suffer from circadian rhythm imbalance. I experience similar imbalances when I have to go to India to visit my folks. A difference of 12 hours between the two time zones (Pacific time and India time) disrupts my circadian rhythm causing what we call jet lag. The consequences are disturbed sleep, daytime fatigue, sluggishness, difficulty concentrating, and digestive issues.

One of the most important biological processes that is regulated by the circadian rhythm is the sleep response. The SCN, which controls the production and release of melatonin, a hormone that triggers sleep response receives information about the incoming light via the optic nerves (from the eyes to the brain). During sunset when there is more darkness and less light, the SCN triggers the release of melatonin that induces sleep. Come sunrise, there is more light that strikes the optic nerves so melatonin production is halted, thus triggering the wakefulness response. When I fly from California to India, I lose 12 hours of time. So when I wake up at 8:00 am in India, my biological sleep clock thinks it is 8:00 pm of the previous day, thus making me feel groggy, dazed and disoriented. My body's clock will eventually reset itself, but this often takes anywhere from two to seven days, depending on my physical and mental state. It is generally believed that it can take up to one day for each time zone crossed for the body to adjust to the local time. 

There is a lot of information out there about overcoming jet lag and disturbed sleep cycles and correcting the out of sync circadian rhythm. But in my case, I always turn to yoga. I discussed this issue briefly in my post Yoga in the Skies (Airplane Yoga). In addition to the poses that I described in the post that I do on the plane, after I reach my destination I continue my yoga practice with:

• a few rounds of Sun Salutations
• mild inversions (headstand and supported handstand)
• hip stretches, including High Lunge (Vanarasana), Dropped-Knee Lunge, Warrior series (Virabradrasana), Triangle pose (Trikonasana), Extended Side Angle pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana), and Wide-Angle Seated pose (Upavista Konasana)

I focus on fostering both strength and flexibility, especially in my legs and shoulders, and a good overall hip opening (after sitting for nearly 24 hours in the plane) because they have positive impact on posture, locomotion, balance, and agility (see Opening Your Hips without Knee Pain). The inversions I include are effective at stress reduction, as I find much needed relaxation that is probably achieved from the reverse blood flow (All About Supported Inversions). The entire practice lasts for about 30 minutes followed by 5 minutes alternate nostril breathing and 5 minutes of mindfulness meditation. 

I have noticed that in the last few long-distance trips, I am able to adjust to the new day/night schedule within 24 hours of my arrival to the new destination. There is no doubt that yoga has been helping me to recover quickly from travel-associated sluggish moods, fatigue, lethargy, and disorientation. But I wondered, is there a research study to prove this anecdotal personal experience?

So I was happy when I came across this recent poster presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting Effect of YOCAS yoga on circadian rhythm, anxiety, and mood: A URCC CCOP randomized, controlled clinical trial among 410 cancer survivors. Since this work is not yet published, I do not have all the details. But I did learn that, as it turns out, chemo and radiation therapies disrupt the circadian rhythm and exacerbate the anxiety and mood disorders experienced by cancer survivors (75% breast cancer) that impair ultimate recovery and quality of life. To study the role of yoga on circadian rhythms and mood behavior, the researchers divided cancer survivors into two groups: 

1. Those who received standard care.
2. Those who received standard care plus a four-week yoga intervention. The yoga intervention group (75 mins each yoga session and two sessions per week) received a specialized program (YOCAS) that consisted of pranayama, 18 gentle hatha and restorative yoga asanas, and meditation. 

All subjects were tested for their circadian rhythm, anxiety and mood before and after intervention. The YOCAS intervention seemed to have favorably altered circadian rhythm, improved anxiety and mood among cancer survivors, which lends credence to my personal experience. 

So the next time your travel takes you through several time zone boundaries, remember that yoga is there to help you ward off the jet lag and the disturbed circadian rhythms. Happy Travels!

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Stress Management for When You're Stressed!

by Nina

When you’re not feeling particularly stressed out, a well-rounded practice that includes active asanas and short-sessions of the stress management techniques of your choice will help keep your stress levels in check. And if you chose meditate every day, or do breath practices, restorative yoga or supported inversions on your rest days, all the better. 

But the nature of human existence is such that we all go through times when stress levels are high, whether that is due to family problems, illness, employment conflicts, uncertainty about the future, or even more serious problems. Today’s post provides recommendations for periods when you’re going through chronic stress. (For information about improving your sleep, see 5 Tips for Better Sleep. And for information about changing the way you react to stressors, see Re-Patterning Your Nervous System: Practice for the Real World.)

Confession: It was very easy for me to write this post because it was born out of my own experience. Practicing yoga on a regular basis to keep my stress levels in check in general and to give myself special attention when stress levels go up due to life circumstances has been a godsend to me. But I did have Baxter read through what I wrote and add a few recommendations of his own. So it’s all medical doctor approved!

How Often to Practice. Although we don’t recommend practicing a full-length active asana sequence seven days a week (your body needs time to rest and recover), if you are going through a stressful period, we do recommend practicing at least a short stress management session for about 20 minutes every day. What you practice for your short stress management sessions could be any of the relaxation practices you prefer or that work in your particular circumstances: seated or reclined meditation, calming breath practices, one or two restorative and/or supported inverted poses, or a guided relaxation program. And because exercise is important for reducing stress, you should aim for doing an active asana practice (or another type of exercise, such as walking) around three to four days a week.

How Long to Practice. For a balanced asana session, practice, such as one of our strength or flexibility sequences, we recommend practicing for 30-45 minutes. For a short stress management session, we recommend practicing 20 minutes per day. For both these sessions, you can actually divide them up, and practice part of your session in the morning and part later in the day. For example, you could practice active asanas in the morning and restorative poses at the end of the day, or you could meditate for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening.

What to Practice. For days when you want to do a full-length active practice, practice any sequence that includes a combination of poses for cultivating the four essential skills (strength, flexibility, balance, and agility) or a sequence that focuses on one of the skills. Generally, it makes sense to include the active poses at the beginning of your sequence, although if you’re fatigued you can start with a resting pose and ease into the more active poses. But always quiet down after the active poses with a stress management practice. For days when you just need a short stress management session, choose any single or combination of stress management practices that work for you in your particular circumstances.

Static Poses. These poses are good for grounding you when you’re feeling anxious or flighty and for tiring yourself out a bit when you’re feeling hyper. Standing poses, such as Warrior 2 and Triangle pose, are particularly effect for this. But a balanced practice that includes poses from every category will engage your body and mind, and release physical tension from your body. Practice mindfully for best results (see Practicing Yoga Mindfully).

Dynamic Poses. These poses are good for releasing held tension in your body, engaging your body and mind, and mildly energizing yourself when stress makes you feel fatigued. Be careful, however, not to practice (or breathe) too quickly, as this can over-stimulate you. Practice mindfully for best results (see Practicing Yoga Mindfully).

Supported Inverted Poses. For many people, supported inverted poses are so effective for calming the nervous system and quieting the mind that even just one 15-minute session of Legs Up the Wall pose can turn the day around. And if these poses work well for you, during your active practice days, always include one or more near the end of your practice (before Savasana or meditation). Choose poses that you can hold for extended periods of time and use appropriate propping to ensure you’ll be comfortable. Warming up for these poses with active or reclining poses that stretch your legs and open your shoulders may help you be less fidgety. 

Restorative Poses. If stress is making you feel exhausted and depleted, you can put together an entire asana practice from restorative poses or even practice a single pose on its own. And if you are doing a more active practice and you enjoy restorative poses, include one or two at the end of your practice. Choose poses that you can hold for extended periods of time so you can relax, completely and use appropriate propping to ensure you’ll be entirely comfortable.

Focused Relaxation. Guided relaxation, meditation, calming breath practices, and Savasana with a mental focus are practices that you can do on their own or include in an active practice. Although these are good practices to end your practice with, you can also use them to start a practice as a way to center yourself. Choose the techniques that work best for you and your particular circumstances (maybe you’re on an airplane, for example). And make sure to use seated or reclined positions that you can hold for extended periods of time so you can relax completely, and use appropriate propping to ensure you’ll be entirely comfortable.

If you've tried any of these techniques when you're feeling stressed out, please let us know which are your favorites!

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Top Muscle Building Foods: Best High Protein Foods

I am going to show you all the top muscle building foods, to help you pack on some muscle mass. Firstly, I have to say, that you deserve a hearty “well done” for reading this article.

Food is one of the most important aspects of building muscle. You cannot grow muscle without adequate food. But you probably know this already, so lets get into the top muscle building foods.

Top Muscle Building Foods: Best High Protein Foods

Usually when you think about foods that are great for building muscle, you think along the lines of protein. After all, protein is what muscles are made of. If you were to take the water content away from a muscle, you would be left with 80% protein.

Basically, protein is like the bricks of a wall and you need it to build muscle. So here is a list of the top high protein foods:

• Beef (lean cuts)
• Turkey
• Chicken
• Eggs
• Fish
• Cottage Cheese
• Whey Protein Powder

You will notice that the top high protein foods are mainly meat from animals. There are of course other foods with protein, but there are not usually complete proteins (There are 20 amino acids that make up protein).

Top Muscle Building Foods: Top Fat Foods

Top Muscle Building Foods: Top Carbohydrate Foods

I hope these Top Muscle Building Foods lists help you on your path to bigger muscle!

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Top Muscle Building Foods: Top Fat Foods

I am going to show you all the top muscle building foods, to help you pack on some muscle mass. Firstly, I have to say, that you deserve a hearty “well done” for reading this article.

Food is one of the most important aspects of building muscle. You cannot grow muscle without adequate food. But you probably know this already, so lets get into the top muscle building foods.

Top Muscle Building Foods: Top Fat Foods

Okay, so when you mention fats in food, people start screaming and running for the hills. What many people do not realise, is that fatty foods are essential in your diet. Of course, this doesn’t mean to camp outside a burger joint all weekend.

But you need to be eating lots of essential fatty acids. These foods are responsible for so many bodily processes.  For example: hormone production (such as testosterone) will probably be the one factor, that will get your attention the best here

 Here is a list of the top fat foods:

•        Fish Oil
• Olive Oil
• Nuts
• Salmon
• Advocado
• Flax Oil & Seeds

Top Muscle Building Foods: Best High Protein Foods

Top Muscle Building Foods: Top Carbohydrate Foods

I hope these Top Muscle Building Foods lists help you on your path to bigger muscle!

Read More

Top Muscle Building Foods: Top Carbohydrate Foods

I am going to show you all the top muscle building foods, to help you pack on some muscle mass. Firstly, I have to say, that you deserve a hearty “well done” for reading this article.

Food is one of the most important aspects of building muscle. You cannot grow muscle without adequate food. But you probably know this already, so lets get into the top muscle building foods.

Top Muscle Building Foods: Top Carbohydrate Foods

When people ask about the top muscle building foods, they always think about high protein foods. But carbohydrates are also very important for energy. If you do not eat enough carbohydrates, you body will convert the protein into energy, which means it cannot be used to build muscle!

So, lets take a look at the top carbohydrate foods:

• Oatmeal
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Whole Grains: Bread & Pasta
• Brown Rice
• Sweet Potatoes
• Bean
• Lentils

You will notice from the above list that all the foods are natural carbohydrates, just like you would find them, as they are harvested. There are no processed pre-packaged foods to be found here sparky. In fact, it is those processed foods that cause so many obesity problems today. Things like man boobs, big bellys and other problem areas. So limited them to cheat meals and treats only and you will do fine. 

Top Muscle Building Foods: Best High Protein Foods

Top Muscle Building Foods: Top Fat Foods

I hope these Top Muscle Building Foods lists help you on your path to bigger muscle!

Read More